Cheeseburger Soup

I am not a big lover of ground beef.... but I sure do love it in this soup. I am also not a big fan of leftover food, but this soup is quite wonderful when it is reheated.

In a large saucepot combine:
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups cubed potatoes
1/4 cup diced green pepper
2 small carrot, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bouillon cube
1/2 tsp salt

Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 min.
Meanwhile saute
1# ground beef
Then drain  it.
Add the ground beef to the veggie mixture (after 20 minutes of simmering} and
2 cups of milk
Heat...
Mix together in a small bowl
1/2 cup milk and
3 Tbsp. flour
Gradually stir into hot soup and bring to a boil... Cook and stir for two minutes till thick and bubbly

Add
8 ounces of velvetta cheese that has been cubed

Stir and heat till melted.

I always garnish with some bacon that I have cooked till crisp and then broken up into small pieces.

Fresh Apple Cake

I have been making this recipe for about 36 years. A friend of my Mother In Laws gave me the recipe. I love it especially because there is no icing on it. 

In large bowl mix together with spoon:
1 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla 
Then add:
 3 cups chopped , peeled apples {I prefer Granny Smiths}
1 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp . baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
When well combined, put into greased 9x13 pan. {batter is very thick!} 
Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes. 

Cheesey Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers= tasted one, tasted them all. At least that is the way I feel about stuffed peppers.... that is , until you taste mine! Not only are my stuffed peppers unique in ingredients and taste, but in ease of making. The peppers are clean, cut and fill... the filling is just mix and stuff into the peppers. There is no cooking rice, sauteing ground meat, partially cooking peppers.

These are always a favorite at our home and a recipe that my guests always ask for... I often put these together in the morning , refrigerate , and then bake at dinner time. I always serve these with a side of spaghetti and homemade marinara.

You will need: 

3 large green peppers, cut in half lengthwise and cleaned out

In a bowl mix together:

1# ground beef

1 cup cottage cheese

1- 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 small onion, finely diced

1 egg, beaten

1/3 cup bread crumbs

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

salt 

Mix well and stuff into the peppers. Usually the mixture is in a heaping mound. 

Put in 9x13 dish. 

Bake at 350 for about 45-50 min. 

Top with some shredded cheese... You may like mozzarella or provolone... we love a super sharp on them.. bake till the cheese is melted. 

Lasagna Soup

I am way behind with my blog... I have taken pictures and intended to post the recipes when I made something I wanted to share, but I guess  Mike's procrastinating is contagious. So hopefully I will try and get caught up in one sitting.   First recipe is Lasagna soup. I stumbled across this recipe in a magazine many years ago and have tweaked it over time to make it my own. Mike and I LOVE soup in the cooler months, and living in northern NY, there are more cooler months , so I make soup a lot! The ingredients in this soup are staples in my kitchen so I make this soup frequently! 

 sweet Italian sausage links, cut in bite size pieces [or bulk Italian sausage works well also!]

1 diced onion {I have gotten so I use shallots instead} 

1 cup diced carrots

2 cups mushrooms,sliced

2 Tbsp. minced garlic

Saute together until meat is done. Then add

4 cups chicken broth

1 can diced tomatoes {I use two}

1 small can tomato sauce

Bring to a boil...then put in

1 cup small pasta {I use the mini Barilla}

Simmer 10 min. till pasta is done

Then stir in 2 cups fresh spinach till it is just wilted.

To serve, in bowl, but small cubes of diced fresh mozzarella and asiago or sharp provolone cheese.. Spoon soup over the cheeses. Then garnish soup with some grated Italian cheese.